John 17:1 – 11a
Welcome to my annotated commentary on Sunday’s readings. The purpose of my commentary is to give you the background for each reading, a little better understanding of its message and the message that all of the Sunday readings together provide us.
This Sunday, we hear a continuation from last week of Jesus’ address to the apostles as presented in John’s Gospel. As you will see in your footnotes, most scholars consider the section of 13:31 – 17:26 to be Johannine compositions, modeled on farewell discoursed found in contemporary Greek and Hebrew literature. We hear this Sunday the climax of the last discourse(s). Since the sixteenth century, when the Lutheran theologian David Kochhafe dubbed it that, this chapter has been called the “high priestly prayer” of Jesus. This label is apt, because it is Christ’s prayer consecrating his body and blood for the sacrifice in which they are about to be offered, and his benediction over the Church that he is to bring forth in his glorification. Although the Synoptic Gospels frequently depict Jesus in prayer, they do not reveal the content of his prayer. In this prayer, Jesus speaks as intercessor, with words addressed directly to the Father and not to the disciples, who supposedly only overhear him. Yet the prayer is one of petition, for immediate (John 17:6-19) and future (John 17:20-21) disciples. Many phrases reminiscent of the Lord’s Prayer occur. Although still in the world (John 17:13), Jesus looks on his earthly ministry as a thing of the past (John 17:4, 12). Whereas Jesus has up to this time stated that the disciples could not follow him (John 13:33, 36), now he wishes them to be with him in union with the Father (John 17:12-14).
Let’s now at the Gospel for Sunday:
1 When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
he raised his eyes to heaven: The action of looking up to heaven and the address to God as “Father” are typical of Jesus at prayer; cf. John 11:41 and Luke 11:2.
2 just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him.
3 Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
This verse was clearly added in the editing of the gospel as a reflection on the preceding verse; nowhere else does Jesus refer to himself as Jesus Christ.
4 I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
5 Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began.
the glory that I had with you before the world began: once again, we see Jesus identify himself with the Father.
6 “I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
I revealed your name: I revealed your name: perhaps the name I AM; cf. John 8:24,28,58; 13:19.
7 Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
8 because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.
they accepted them and truly understood: the disciples have come to a true recognition of the relation of the Son to the Father, and of his character as Savior.
9 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours,
10 and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.
11 And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.
As is typical of John’s Gospel, we see a Jesus fully aware of his oneness with the Father and in full control of the situation. Let’s look at what the synoptic Gospels present as what happens just afterward – when Jesus and his disciples finish their Passover meal and go to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. All three of the other Gospels recount this event; Matthew’s account is the most comprehensive so let’s look at that one (cf. Mt. 26:36-46).
Again, we see the significant difference between the Synoptic Gospels and John’s Gospel, reflecting the difference in their audience and occasion. And, we have to ask, did both events really occur? Who of us hasn’t faced a challenging moment in our lives and found ourselves praying, at one moment with confidence that God will be with us and at another moment frightened and bargaining with God? I would suggest that these two pericopes give us just another opportunity to reflect on the full humanity of Jesus, who knew that he was, in some way, favored by God – much like the patriarchs and prophets before him – but, at the same time, struggling as he put his trust in a God who was calling him to do some very difficult things.
In any case, this Sunday’s passage gives us a rare glimpse into Jesus at prayer and a really good model for how to pray. Notice how Jesus engages God in an intimate conversation, glorifying God, acceding to the Father’s will and interceding for his beloved disciples.
Next, let’s examine the first reading where we discover how the disciples, obedient to Jesus’ command, dedicate themselves to prayer as they await the coming of the Spirt that Jesus had promised. To recall the setting for Sunday’s first reading, let’s first read the end of the Gospel of Luke (cf. 24:36 – 53) and the beginning of the Acts (cf. 1:1 – 11; if these sound familiar, it’s because we just heard them a few moments ago during the Mass of the Ascension).
Now, let’s examine the passage we will hear on Sunday:
Acts 1:12 – 14
Here, we hear the Lucan account of what happened after Jesus ascended. It was to be for the apostles, identified by name, a time of prayerful preparation for the coming of the Spirit, as we saw Jesus instruct them just before he ascended.
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.
sabbath day’s journey away: as those of you who have been to Jerusalem know, the Mount of Olivet is just outside of Jerusalem, on the other side of the Kidron Valley. According to one of the 613 rules that you will find rooted in the Old Testament, an observant Jew was allowed to walk only 2,000 cubits (a cubit is 18’ so that about 2/3 of a mile); this is called the “techum shabbat.” This rule originates from Moses’ instruction that we read in Exodus 16:29; let’s look at that. Now, let me quote you a portion of the lengthy commentary about this law to give you an impression of how legalistic the Jewish people had become:
A person who is located in an open area outside human settlement, measures 2000 cubits outside the “four cubits” surrounding him which are considered his personal space. If a person is located in an isolated house which is not part of a larger settlement, the techum is measured from outside the courtyard of his house. If he is within a settlement, the entire area of the settlement is considered his personal space.
A person need not say or intend anything particular for this normal techum to take effect. However, he may declare that his “dwelling place” is located in a different place from his location at the entrance of Shabbat (on condition that the place he is physically located is within the techum for the place he has declared). For example: if a person is located just outside a city, he may declare that his dwelling place is within the city.
When this declaration is made in error, it is not valid. Therefore, a person who does not realize before Shabbat that he is adjacent to a city, and discovers this fact during Shabbat, may then enter the city and calculate his techum according to the city’s techum. However, if he was aware of the city before Shabbat and knowingly chose his “dwelling place” to be based on his location outside the city, his techum remains as he intended, and if parts of the city are outside his 2000-cubit zone, he may not enter those parts.
Even today, Orthodox Jews observe the techum Shabbat. That’s why they have their synagogues so close to them; so they can walk to them on the Sabbath without violating the techum Shabbat.
13 When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
14 All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
So, the 11, along with some women – including Mary – carefully observing Jewish law, since they still considered themselves to be Jews, went into self-quarantine. Those of you who know the etymology of “quarantine” know that it literally means “40.” That’s the origin of the 40 day period between Easter and the Ascension. Of course, according the Luke’s Gospel, the Ascension occurred on Easter. It’s only in the other Gospels that we read about Jesus appearing to the select few over an undetermined period of time. But, as we all know, the number 40 has ancient Biblical roots with the significance of a period of time for preparation and penance.
Now, let’s examine the passage that we will hear on Sunday from the first Letter of St. Peter. It hints at prayer.
1 Peter 4:13-16
As we hear again from Peter’s first letter to the Christian communities in the provinces of Asia Minor, let me refer you to the footnote where you will see that this passage has led to some debate among scripture scholars. Does it actually refer to persecution that the early Christians are facing or is it just a rhetorical device used at the end of the letter to emphasize the suffering motif we find throughout this letter? Let’s read it:
13 But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly.
14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
15 But let no one among you be made to suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer.
16 But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed but glorify God because of the name.
On Sunday, we will be just one week away from the end of the Easter Season and this week’s readings can be seen as presenting a message on prayer. We hear Jesus pray in the Gospel, we hear about the apostles and some women dedicating themselves to prayer as they await the coming of the Holy Spirit in the first reading and in the letter from St. Peter, we hear an encouragement to prayer: to rejoice and glorify God. This is a transition time for the early Church, moving from grief and confusion to strong resolve to respond to our Lord’s commission. This is a transition time for us, as well, as we realize our powerlessness in the face of a sub-microscopic virus. We will triumph, but it is a great time for us to reexamine our priorities and make sure we’re in touch with God’s will for us. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be recreated and you shall renew the face of the earth.